An investigation of colonization of the conjunctival sac of sheep by bacteria and mycoplasmas

-Contagious keratoconjunctivitis is a rather common disease in Norwegian sheep. Since the knowledge of its aetiology is limited, the present study was performed to determine the microorganisms involved. Local veterinarians throughout the country collected conjunctival swabs from both sick (n=43) and healthy (n=42) sheep on 15 farms with outbreaks of ovine keratoconjunctivitis, and further from healthy sheep (n=50) on 17 farms not showing any signs of conjunctival disease. All samples were cultivated for bacteria and mycoplasma. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from 3 cases (1%) in one single herd. Staphylococcus aureus (5%), Corynebacterium spp. (2%) and Escherichia coli (4%) were isolated only in herds with keratoconjunctivitis, but from both sick and healthy animals. Moraxella (Branhamella) ovis was isolated from 28% of sampled animals in affected herds and from 10% of sampled animals in healthy herds. The corresponding numbers for Moraxella spp. were 9%/12%, for Pseudomonas spp. 7%/8%, for Staphylococcus spp. 22%/22%, for Bacillus spp. 12%/14%, for Micrococcus spp. 6%/2% and for Streptococcus/Enterococcus spp. 2%/2%. Mycoplasma conjunctivae was isolated from 16 animals with keratoconjunctivitis (37%) and from 3 animals without clinical signs (7%) in farms with keratoconjunctivitis. In farms without clinical signs of keratoconjunctivitis, M. conjunctivae was isolated in 4 animals (8%). To our knowledge, this is the first time M. conjunctivae has been isolated in Norway. Other predisposing agents found were Moraxella (Branhamella) ovis and Listeria monocytogenes. The etiological importance of different microorganisms in ovine keratoconjunctivitis seems to vary; some are probably only present as secondary invaders. Other possible causes of ovine keratoconjunctivitis in Norway, such as Chlamydia psittaci, remain to be investigated. ovine infectious keratoconjunctivitis; bacteriology; Mycoplasma conjunctivae.

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“…(B.) ovis was isolated more often from eyes with keratoconjunctivitis than from healthy eyes [9,20]. Like [35] we could isolate M.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(B.) ovis did not induce keratoconjunctivitis, even after previous scarification of the cornea [14,30,9] showed that a smooth type of M. (B.)…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bacteriological Investigation of Infectious Keratoconjunctivitis in Norwegian Sheep

Åkerstedt

Hofshagen

2004

Acta Vet Scand

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“…Since differences were found only when considering sampling location and not the CSA, they may be due to an influence of IKC on the behavior (choice of slope exposure) of affected ibex rather than to a causal relationship between slope exposure and IKC: individuals with severe signs may prefer more northoriented, less sunny slopes. Photophobia has been described in IKC-affected sheep and goats (Baas et al 1977;Dagnall 1994), and free-ranging ungulates may behave similarly. Especially in winter, avoidance of south-oriented slopes could further weaken affected individuals since ibex are known to normally seek favorable environmental conditions on sunny slopes (Meile et al 2003;Parrini et al 2003).…”

Section: Northnessmentioning

confidence: 98%

Is the development of infectious keratoconjunctivitis in Alpine ibex and Alpine chamois influenced by topographic features?

et al. 2012

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“…Gram-positive bacteria were reported as the most common isolates. Mycoplasma was identified in normal canine (Rosendal, 1973), feline (Campbell et al, 1973), bovine (Barber et al, 1986) and ovine eyes (Dagnell, 1994), but not in equine (Whitley and Moore, 1984), llama (Gionfriddo et al, 1991), bison (Bison bison) (Davidson et al, 1999) and avian eyes (Wolf et al, 1983). Chlamydia was detected in normal porcine eyes (Davidson et al, 1994).…”

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confidence: 99%

Normal Conjunctival Flora in the North American Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) and Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

Pinard

Brightman

Yeary

et al. 2002

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

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We documented the normal conjunctival bacterial flora from 17 opossums (Didelphis virginiana) and 10 raccoons (Procyon lotor) trapped in Manhattan, Kansas (USA) from November 1999 to January 2000. Both raccoons and opossums were free of apparent ocular disease. The inferior conjunctival sacs of each animal were swabbed for aerobic bacterial and Mycoplasma culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Mycoplasma and Chlamydia detection. All conjunctival samples were positive for one or more species of aerobic bacteria. The most common isolate from opossums was Staphylococcus spp. Other isolates included Streptococcus spp., Bacillus spp., Corynebacterium spp., and Enterococcus faecalis. The most common isolate in raccoons was Bacillus spp. Other isolates included Streptococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp., non-hemolytic Escherichia coli, and Enterococcus faecalis. Mycoplasma culture was negative in samples from opossums and raccoons. Evidence of Mycoplasma and Chlamydia presence was detected by PCR.

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An investigation of colonization of the conjunctival sac of sheep by bacteria and mycoplasmas

Cited by 18 publications

References 15 publications

Bacteriological Investigation of Infectious Keratoconjunctivitis in Norwegian Sheep

Bacteriological Investigation of Infectious Keratoconjunctivitis in Norwegian Sheep

Is the development of infectious keratoconjunctivitis in Alpine ibex and Alpine chamois influenced by topographic features?

Normal Conjunctival Flora in the North American Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) and Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

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